This invention relates to devices for continuously and automatically removing foreign materials that are typically carried along with the water within open irrigation ditches. These materials include moss and algae, as well as leaves, stems, litter and weed seeds. If allowed to remain in the water, such materials damage downstream pumps and clog or plug irrigation equipment, such as siphon tubes, gated pipes, and sprinklers.
The most prevalent solution to this problem today is to use stationary screens across irrigation ditches and to clean the screens manually. This requires regular periodic surveillance of the screens and regular cleaning, particularly in those seasons of the year when trash is particularly prevalent in such water systems.
The apparatus described herein serves as a continuously maintained screen. It is self-cleaning to minimize maintenance and manual effort. It permits the use of finer screen materials than is normal today by maintaining the screens in a continuous clean condition so that the finer screen mesh will not itself be clogged and rendered unusable.